After a no-catch, one-drop night at Denver, No. 1 wideout Braylon Edwards held court with writers. Wilson stared at the wall nearby, turned a round for a moment looking glum and turned back to the wall.

Early in a Monday practice, Wilson wasn’t all there. During an otherwise competitive cornerback vs. wideout drill, Derek Anderson launched a deep sideline throw. Wilson never looked back, not even after the ball landed.

There was no excuse. He was the only wideout on the field.

Wilson’s practice got worse. Writers looked at each other. “What’s up with him?”

Something woke him up. Near the end of the session, he made two great catches, muscling the ball out of a crowd, then lunging in traffic to make a shoestring catch.